Tim Tebow is almost certain to be playing for a team other than the Jets in 2013. / Wade Payne, AP

by Mike Garafolo, USA TODAY Sports

by Mike Garafolo, USA TODAY Sports

Rex Ryan sounded as dejected and defeated as ever on Tuesday's conference call. He also wasn't very expansive in his answers.

The New York Jets' coach has decided to go with Greg McElroy as his starting quarterback on Sunday against the San Diego Chargers after Mark Sanchez's five-turnover performance in a loss to the Tennessee Titans that eliminated the Jets from the postseason.

Is Sanchez done as the Jets' starter? Why McElroy? Why not Tim Tebow?

These are questions Ryan refused to answer and merely deflected by simply saying it was time for McElroy, who led a game-winning drive against the Arizona Cardinals on Dec. 2.

"That's what I feel in my gut," Ryan said. "I liked what I saw from Greg against Arizona. And I like what I see on the practice field. I truly believe it's best for our team right now. That's how I feel about it."

And when asked how he feels about possibly losing his job, Ryan said: "As a football team, we're 6-8 and nobody's happy about that, and ultimately I'm the man that's accountable for this, and I understand that."

For weeks now, Ryan has been saying Sanchez gives the team the best chance to win. But after he waited a few days before reaffirming Sanchez as his starter, he also said the former No. 5 overall pick needed to take better care of the ball.

Sanchez did not do that in Tennessee when he overthrew tight end Jeff Cumblerland and wide receiver Braylon Edwards on a pair of interceptions and missed on two more. Sanchez also admitted he could've handled the low snap from Nick Mangold that killed the Jets' final drive.

Sanchez has 24 turnovers (17 interceptions and seven fumbles) to only 13 touchdown passes this season.

"You turn the ball over five times, it was just too much to overcome," Ryan said. "We had guys play an outstanding game. Unfortunately, those efforts weren't good enough collectively."

Ryan said he told Sanchez after Monday's game that he was going to make a quarterback change. It wasn't until Tuesday when he settled on McElroy over Tebow, a starter with the Denver Broncos down the stretch and a quarterback with a playoff win on his resume.

But Ryan, who allegedly was very much on board with bringing Tebow to the Jets, is obviously in the group that believes the scrambling, panicking Tebow that appeared during Tebow's only full series on Monday is a sample of what the whole would be.

"I know Tim is a tremendous competitor. I don't doubt that at all," Ryan said. "But for right now, I think this move is a move I made that's best for our team in this game. I believe that and that's why I'm making the move I'm making."

Sanchez has been Ryan's guy. He was the quarterback for the team's two AFC Championship appearances in 2010 and '11. Now, he's a backup and potentially on his way out, though the Jets would have to eat more than $8 million in guaranteed money next season if they cut him.

"Any time you do that, it's not easy, that's for sure," Ryan said of benching Sanchez. "But in dealing with it, I told Mark we need to make a change and he respected my decision."